AMQS: Anne's 2019 Reading Recovery -- 2

Welcome to my second thread!

My name is Anne. I am an elementary school teacher librarian in a little Colorado mountain school. My husband Stelios and I have two daughters: 17 and 20. All of us have tottering piles of books in nearly every room of the house. We love to hike, play games together, and travel. I read a lot of children's literature, and love audiobooks.

This is my 10th year in this wonderful group, and while there's no place I'd rather be, I found it very hard to keep up in 2018 and considered taking a gap year, but was encouraged by my sweet LT friends to return. I agree that it would be better to find some balance that includes this group in 2019 than to leave - it enriches my life so much.

Today is the first "official" day of my summer break. This school year was a hard one for a variety of reasons, so it seemed like a good time to start a fresh, new thread as the school year comes to a close.

This summer we will be traveling to Germany to visit my brother, his wife, and their new baby boy. As a bonus, we will also see my mom and our exchange student. Annaïg and her family will return the visit in August.

This photo was taken by my dad in February at the Great Plains Snow Goose Festival in Lamar, CO. Now a summer photo, but I just love that Colorado sky, especially with all of those birds!

December, 2019
79. The Long Flight Home by Alan Hlad
80. The Collectors by Jacqueline West
81. A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas
82. Winnie’s Great War by Lindsay Mattick and Josh Greenhut
83. Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen

November, 2019
71. The Bells by Richard Harvell
72. Operatic by Kyo Maclear and Byron Eggenschwiler
73. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
74. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
75. The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth
76. Elephant Company: The Inspiring Story of an Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in WWII by Vicki Constantine Croke
77. Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
78. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abbi Waxman

October, 2019
64. Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce
65. Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling
66. Greek to Me by Mary Norris
67. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
68. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
69. Matilda by Roald Dahl
70. The Queen of the Tambourine by Jane Gardam

September, 2019
56. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden
57. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
58. The Missing Piece of Charlie O'Reilly by Rebecca K.S. Ansari
59. Blended by Sharon Draper
60. The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary
61. The Day the World Came to Town by Jim Defede
62. The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
63. Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick

August, 2019
54. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
55. Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin

July, 2019
43. The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
44. Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier
45. Lost & Found: Helping Behaviorally Challenging Students (and, While You’re at It, All the Others by Ross W. Greene, PhD
46. Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
47. Venetia by Georgette Heyer
48. Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser
49. Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood
50. The Storm Keeper’s Island by Catherine Doyle
51. Mac Undercover by Mac Barnett
52. Refugee by Alan Gratz
53. Krista Kim-Bap by Angela Ahn

June, 2019
34. To Night Owl From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer
35. Front Desk by Kelly Yang
36. Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal by Ben Macintyre
37. Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson
38. Otherwood by Pete Hautman
39. The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
40. Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead
41. Leopard at the Door by Jennifer McVeigh
42. Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

January, 2019
1. Uprooted by Naomi Novik
2. Beautiful Blue World by Suzanne LaFleur
3. Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
4. Assassin’s Apprentice by Robin Hobb

February, 2019
5. Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck
6. The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared by Jonas Jonasson
7. Heartburn by Nora Ephron
8. Davita's Harp by Chaim Potok
9. We Rise, We Resist, We Raise Our Voices, edited by Wade Hudson & Cheryl Willis Hudson
10. A Story Like the Wind by Gill Lewis
11. Yours Sincerely, Giraffe by Megumi Iwasa
12. Delicious by Ruth Reichl

March, 2019
13. Meet Me at the Museum by Anne Youngson
14. Knights Vs. Dinosaurs by Matt Phelan
15. The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa
16. The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
17. Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
18. All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson
19. Tight by Torrey Maldonado
20. A Shilling for Candles by Josephine Tey
21. We Are Never Meeting in Real Life: Essays by Samantha Irby

April, 2019
22. The Secret of Dreadwillow Carse by Brian Farrey
23. Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
24. As You Like it by William Shakespeare
25. Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
26. Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney
27. The Watsons Go to Birmingham- 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

May, 2019
28. Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
29. Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynn Jones
30. Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
31. Emily, Alone by Stewart O'Nan
32. Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu
33. The Jamie Drake Equation by Christopher Edge

Happy New Thread, Anne!!

As I said in the opener, I am starting a fresh new thread as the school year ends and I look forward to a summer of rest and a new, fresh start to school in August.

I brought home a giant box of books from school and will try to read as many as I can, while also taking the time to read whatever I want:) This one is from The Box, and it is a great one:



34. To Night Owl From Dogfish by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer

I am a sucker for epistolary novels, and this one for middle grade readers was awesome. Bett, a 12 year-old in California emails Avery, a 12 year-old in New York out of the blue. It seems that their dads, after meeting in Chicago while both were on work trips, have started dating and things are getting serious. Serious enough that they're thinking of a future together and are sending the girls off to summer camp together so they can get to know one another and hopefully become friends. Well, Bett and Avery are not having it. They are each very close to their respective dads, and quite like their lives exactly the way they already are, thank you very much. At camp, they contrive never to speak, and never to participate in the same activities, which thankfully, is easy as the girls are pretty much polar opposites. Bett is fearless, outspoken, and loves adventure, any kind of water sport, and animals. Avery is an indoor girl interested in reading, writing, crafts, and is terribly afraid of germs, random accidents, and especially of water. Yet they keep emailing. They want to stay one step ahead of their dads and prevent any major life changes. And they ask each other typical girl questions about likes and dislikes, crushes, periods, lip gloss, and the like. And of course, they develop a strong bond that carries them through the very eventful year that follows.

I just loved this book, and read it in nearly one sitting. Avery and Bett are terrific characters, and are joined by other wonderful characters contributing their own notes, letters, emails, and texts. Comparisons to The Parent Trap are fair, I think, though this is truly a 21st century story, with the timeless message that family can be a choice and that love is a gift.

>4 ronincats: Hi Roni! Thanks for visiting! I am hoping to catch up a bit now that school is out. I need to come check on your garden and your art and your kitties (and you and your reading!)

Happy new thread, Anne, and looking forward to following your summer reading.

Happy new thread! Looking forward to your great reading and reviews! Adding To Night Owl from Dogfish to my list!

Happy new thread!

Happy new thread, Anne!

Lovely picture at the top, so many birds in a clear blue sky.
Will your German trip bring you anywhere near the Dutch border?

Happy New Thread, Anne!

And congratulations on starting your summer break. I'm sure you're ready to start recharging your batteries.

Happy new thread, Anne. Here's to a summer of great reading. >5 AMQS: It looks as thought you are off to a great start.

Happy new thread! You got me with that book bullet — it was on my radar, but I’m thinking I will definitely have to read it now!

>7 bell7: Thank you, Mary!

>8 witchyrichy: Thanks, Karen! I really enjoyed it.

>9 drneutron: Thank you, Jim! Any CO trips planned?

>10 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita! My dad is retired and travels locally a lot to photograph wildlife, particularly when there's an event like this snow goose festival, and he never misses the Sandhill Crane Festival in Monte Vista, CO. Right now he is in Craig, CO photographing a herd of wild mustangs. Can't wait to see those photos!

We will spend most of our time in Munich, as that is where my brother and also my mother live. But we actually may come close to the Dutch border as we will be visiting our exchange student and her family for a few days and they live in Munster, in NW Germany. We won't have a car, and are relying on them to make plans for us, but we are kind of hoping to visit the Netherlands, as none of us has ever been before. We'll see!

>11 jnwelch: Thank you, Joe, and you're so right - I am so in need of a recharge. This was a hard school year for a variety of reasons, and my spirits are a bit low just now. I actually do need to go back at least once more as my end of year wrap up was disrupted by the delivery of 146 Chormebooks. I knew my August self would be drowning if I left them for her, so I cataloged and barcoded them now, which means there are a few loose ends to tie up. I am going to pay Callia to come with me and help, so hopefully I can finish in a half day (all I have since I will work my second job that afternoon). I know I'm wallowing in self pity, but that says a lot about teaching in America that I will work beyond my contract (unpaid) and actually pay someone else to help me finish in time to get to my other job. But again, my August self will thank me!

>12 BLBera: Hi Beth! It is off to a great start, as I really enjoyed To Night Owl From Dogfish, and the next book out of the The Box is excellent as well!

>13 foggidawn: Thanks, foggi! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Lovely sky topper, Anne.

Happy New Thread.

>14 AMQS: Lots of sympathy, Anne. Our daughter is a pre-school teacher, and she is so ready to be done for the year! She loves teaching and the kids, but it does wear her down. Four more days for her.

I just read that the average teacher salary here went down in the last decade. How crazy is that? We need to fix that. Your working beyond your contract unpaid to get things done, and even paying someone else to help you finish on time, seems very typical for that profession. There are so many dedicated people who love what they do, and who do something that is so important to all of us, who end up being woefully underpaid.

>14 AMQS: Unfortunately, not in the near future. But who knows? Something may pop up!

>5 AMQS: I adored The Parent Trap growing up (the Hayley Mills version) and your description has me tempted although middle-grade books and I don't always gel.

>15 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! And thanks for visiting my new thread.

>16 jnwelch: Oh, Joe, from what I've heard, preschool teachers have it even worse as far as pay and expectations, and I think they could have the hardest job in teaching. Four more days - she's nearly there, and then I hope she can relax this summer. I am fortunate to have a spouse with a good income. Too many of my colleagues work two and three jobs. My husband was a volunteer track and field coach at Marina's high school this spring, and became close to the head coaches, who are also teachers at the school. He has some idea of what their instructional day is like, and knows exactly what they put into track practices. But when we ran into one of the teachers/coach working at Home Depot on a Sunday my husband was pretty devastated. He knows a lot of teachers work other jobs to make ends meet, but it made an impact when it's a teacher and coach we know.

>17 drneutron: Well let us know if something does! I hope you have a great summer, Jim.

>18 MickyFine: Oh I adored the same version too, Micky. There's something about twins that captures the imagination, isn't there?

35. Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Another book from The Box, and one that was chosen for our district's 2020 Battle of the Books. I was so pleased with the BOB participation at my school - my GT kids especially really got into it, and some read all 10 books from 10 different genres twice. This book is good, if occasionally clunky. I thought frequently as I read it that I wish every American 5th grader would read it, and since it is a BOB book it should be widely read next year.

10 year-old Mia immigrated to the United States from China with her parents. They came for the freedom and the opportunity and the hamburgers, but what they found was grinding poverty, paralyzing discrimination, and vicious exploitation. Mia's parents take a job managing a motel for shocking low wages, inhumane terms, and - the clincher - free accommodation. Cleaning the rooms daily takes everything both her parents have, and since they refuse to let Mia touch the cleaning chemicals, she mans the front desk, deciding whom to let in with the buzzer, requesting identification, and negotiating rates. Mia starts school, practices her English writing, and befriends "the weeklies" - motel residents who rent by the week. She experiences prejudices at every turn - from her classmates' assumption that she is a math whiz, to voiced opinions that Chinese maids are robbing their employers and that in China all they do is spit into the dirt (her parents are both skilled engineers). Mia finds her (English) voice, and takes prejudice head-on, dreaming of ways to escape the poverty she can already see is a cycle, while her parents court disaster by offering fellow immigrants in desperate circumstances refuge at the motel. Such an important, accessible glimpse of the immigrant experience, and based on the actual experiences of the author as a child.

Happy new thread!

>20 AMQS: That was a good one -- glad you enjoyed it!

I work closely with K-12 educators here in Virginia and many of them have said how stressful their lives have become. New initiatives, increased responsibilities, but no effort to increase pay and working conditions. We need to see ALL teachers as professionals who deserve a living wage that rewards them for their knowledge and expertise. Somehow, we have come to see them as missionaries willing to take what we give. Sorry...I know you know all this.

Do what you have to do so you can rest and relax on your break!

>14 AMQS: I would like a chance to meet, Anne, please let me know if the plan works out.

>21 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!

>22 foggidawn: It was a good one, wasn't it, foggi?

>23 witchyrichy: Yes, Karen, that's just it. New mandates and initiatives, so much data collection and reporting, testing, and generally many increased responsibilities that are not actually teaching. That take away from teaching. Classroom teachers are crushed by these responsibilities, and while I have different obligations, etc, I don't bear the same burden as classroom colleagues. I am very protective of my break time. I have lots of school tasks I say I am going to do, but honestly I try not to:)

>24 FAMeulstee: It would be lovely to meet, Anita! I have no idea what the family will have planned for us, but if I discover we'll be visiting The Netherlands I will let you know - maybe via FB Messenger?

36. Agent Zigzag: A true Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal by Ben Macintyre, audiobook narrated by John Lee

This was a terrific read about an incorrigible but charming crook and con man turned Nazi spy turned British double agent during WWII. The book begins with Eddie Chapman jumping out a closed window of a Jersey restaurant as police close in, leaving his uninformed girlfriend astonished. Chapman is serving a lengthy jail term in Jersey when the island is invaded and occupied by Nazis. Eventually he is transported to a grim Paris prison, from which he is extracted by the Abwehr, the German intelligence service that decides he might have potential. Throughout the war, no one is quite sure what to make of Chapman, or is completely sure of where his loyalties lie, and he never quite abandons his criminal inclinations. This is a fascinating history that is thoroughly researched (files were only recently declassified). John Lee's narration was amazing, but I also had a print copy of the book on hand so I could reread passages and look at the photos also included. A terrific and unbelievably true addition to the body of WWII stories.

37. Another Brooklyn by Jacqueline Woodson

Jacqueline Woodson writes like an angel, even as her beautiful, spare prose and verse break your heart. This book follows August's girlhood in Brooklyn, arriving with her father and younger brother from Tennessee after her mother's descent into madness. Her watchful eyes notice Brooklyn - the flight of the white families as black people move in, the area's descent into drugs and crime and despair. She finds a place with three other girls: Gigi, Sylvia, and Angela, who are like a tribe as they grow up, hopeful and protective. But their neighborhood is a dangerous place for girls like them, and each will be shaped by their girlhood experiences. An easy (quick) difficult read, but a beautiful one. I am a huge fan of Jacqueline Woodson, who is a National Book Award winner, Newbery Honor writer, and the current National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. While Ms. Woodson writes beautifully and powerfully for children, Another Brooklyn is definitely an adult book.

>25 AMQS: Sounds good, Anne, just tried to send a message via FB messenger :-)

Hi Anne, hope you have a good break and the chance to recharge. I love the topper: I wonder how do the birds manage to avoid a crash?

>5 AMQS: Sounds like fun. I'm trying to encourage a ( little bit) reluctant reader who has English as 2nd language, maybe this would be a good option.

Oh good, Anne. Nice reviews of Agent Zigzag and Another Brooklyn. I loved both of those. Chapman made me think of an Errol Flynn swashbuckling character - but it was all true! Both authors have become “trusted” for me - I’ve enjoyed every one of theirs I’ve read. I just bought another Macintyre today at a book fair.

I love Woodson, Anne. Brown Girl Dreaming was my favorite, but Another Brooklyn was wonderful as well.

Front Desk and Agent Zigzag sound good as well.

Enjoy summer! When I was on vacation, one night I talked about teachers and their experiences if they are not protected by unions; my dinner partners were surprised. :) I am so grateful for our strong union in Minn.

>28 FAMeulstee: Yay, we're connected! I would love to meet you, Anita! I've never been to the Netherlands before. If we can't meet this trip Stelios and I will just have to plan another trip!

>29 charl08: Hi Charlotte! I hope it can encourage your reluctant reader - you never know when a book will reach a reader in just the right way.

>30 jnwelch: Hi Joe! Which one did you get? I've been eying his other books - looks like he writes a lot of WWII history. And like you I have loved everything I've read by Jacquline Woodson.

>31 BLBera: Hi Beth! Our union is a mixed bag, but mostly a force for good. I'm grateful for the protections, that's for sure.

In between travels - just got back from Vail with the Chorale, and headed off to Germany on Tuesday.



38. Otherwood by Pete Hautman

This is a Battle of the Books selection for 2020, and I am very curious to see what my students think of it. I'm not even sure what I think of it. 9 year-old Stuey lives with his mother and his grandfather in their old house at the edge of a wood that used to be a family-run golf course. Grandpa Zach hints at secrets and ghosts, and staunchly claims that secrets and lies can break the world apart. These words take on a dizzying significance when Stuey meets Elly Rose. They share a birthday, a love of fantasy, and Elly Rose declares them soulmates. It turns out they also share a complicated and contentious family history, which creates hard feelings between their parents. Stuey and Elly Rose are discussing it in their secret place - a deadfall area they call Castle Rose - when Elly Rose disappears right in front of Stuey's eyes. The aftermath of this is what you would expect when a community loses a child: investigations, searches, grief, despair, endless interviews for Stuey. But on a return to their special place, he finds Elly - and she says HE has gone missing, the community in upheaval and his mom bereft with grief. A thoughtful, emotional story of concurrent realities and how confronting lies and secrets from an ugly past can help heal what's broken.

Where in Germany are you going, Anne?

Micky, we’ll be in Munich most of the time- that’s where my brother, sister in law, my newborn nephew, and my mom live. But toward the end of the month we’ll travel by train to Münster for a few days to visit our exchange student and her family. We’re excited!

Happy summer break- if that is what it's called. Glad your August self will be pleased with your hard work at this end of the proceedings!!

Safe travels, Anne.

>32 AMQS: I got his Operation Mincemeat, Anne. I've been hearing nothing but positives about it.

Have a great trip to Germany!

>36 LovingLit: Thanks, Megan! It IS called summer break, and it's the BEST! I have found that I need to leave detailed notes for myself from the end of one school year to the beginning of another, or I won't remember what I did. My August self will be glad I did the work I did in May:)

>37 BLBera: Thank you, Beth!

>38 jnwelch: I'll like to hear what you think of it, Joe! Thanks for your travel wishes - we're very excited!

39. The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

This is a heavy novel for middle grade readers that focuses on the plight of India's homeless children. Viji runs away from home with her sister Rukku after their father - long abusive to their mother, turns his fists on them. She has grand plans of earning an independent living and becoming a teacher, but is soon caught in the spiraling misery and despair of homelessness. Viji and Rukku are lucky enough to run into two boys - Arul and Muthi, who teach them the business of wading through rubbish heaps looking for materials to scavenge. The boys are something of a miracle, and the four of them form a family, sharing what little they earn, and helping each other with the filth, exploitation, exposure, crime, and danger of life on the streets. Particularly vulnerable is Rukku, who has an intellectual and developmental disability. She requires the most care, protection, and patience, but has the most loyalty, honesty, and love to give. A heartbreaking and hopeful story. The author draws on memories of children she met in India, but gives voice to children living in extreme poverty and precariousness worldwide, including here in the US.

Safe travels to Germany, Anne. I have a warm place in my heart for Deutschland since I lived there as a child, was married there, and our first child was born there. I wish I could go back to the two areas I’ve lived in. When we returned there (in 2006), we were in Hamburg and traveled by car up to Denmark. Have fun and give that new baby lots of cuddles.

Thank you, Donna - yes, I imagine you do have a warm place in your heart got Deutschland! What happy memories. I can't wait to cuddle that baby!!

40. Bob by Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead

I knew by page 14 that I would love this book and I did. Livy returns to Australia to visit her Gran after 5 years. She discovers Bob in the closet, waiting all that time for her to come back. Bob is a not-zombie-possible-chicken, and Livy and Bob try to understand his particular brand of magic and figure out how to get him back home. A sweet and lovely book that touches the essence of childhood, magic, fairy tales, and vulnerability.

>43 AMQS: Aw, I loved this one, too!!

Happy Belated New Thread, Anne! And happy travels to Germany. I really want to get back there, one of these days.

Adding Bob to my list.

And, I read Uprooted at your recommendation and LOVED it! It was intense with the insidious evil of the Wood and the way it penetrated the psyche of the people. Agnieszka was a strong and complex female protagonist. Thanks for your review!

>35 AMQS: Happy travels Anne! I hope you enjoy Münster. J has spent four weeks there in total, on two different exchange trips. He enjoyed it a lot, apart from the food in his first host family: from what I could make out they mainly ate cheese, ham, salami and bread in different combinations and J was not impressed. (His second host family was of North African extraction and the food was much more to his taste).

Nice to see you have got to the end of term. Mr SandDune has got until 4th July, and that's considered early in U.K. terms: a lot of schools don't break up until around 20th July, something like that. But then they don't go back until the beginning of September, which I think is later than you?

>44 scaifea: It's a sweet one isn't it, Amber?

>45 msf59: Hi Mark! We're having a lovely time, and we're having good weather aside from some severe thunderstorms each evening. Looks like hot and dry weather next week. It's wonderful to visit family and get to know the new baby:) .

>46 witchyrichy: Oh, Karen, I'm so glad! Did you read Spinning Silver? It was so highly recommended here - I absolutely loved it and bought it as a gift for so many people. It led me to Uprooted. So glad you liked it!

>47 SandDune: Thanks, Rhian! We're looking forward to Münster next week, and really enjoying Munich in the meantime. I can relate to J's food impressions - German food is not my favorite, though some of it is excellent. Munich has had such an influx of refugees in recent years that the result is absolutely delicious international cuisine. We just cooked our "normal" food when we had our German exchange student last year, and she seemed to really like it (she said she loves Asian food above all else). She said she herself doesn't especially like German food, and aside from German bread, didn't particularly miss anything.

Mr. SandDune is getting so close! I'll bet he is ready for a break. I had no idea U.K. schools went so late, though I know that German schools do. Our poor exchange student hardly had any break last year because we start so early and her German school ends so late. And yes - we do go back very early. When I was in school myself we went back after Labor Day in early September, but now it's early August - so we can have more instruction before standardized testing, I suppose. My first day back is August 2 (AAAAAACKKKK!) and students are back August 14.

41. Leopard at the Door by Jennifer McVeigh

I'm sure I share this problem with most LTers: I need to consider the clothes I pack for a trip maybe a couple of days or a week before I go, but I think about the books for several weeks. They need to be big (fewer books) and good but not so good I can't leave them behind, and not too heavy content-wise. I thought Leopard at the Door would fit the bill perfectly. But I can't decide how I feel about it yet. It was definitely an absorbing story that kept the pages turning, and it swept me away to a new place (1950s Kenya). It made me think - in a good way - and feel - a lot.

Rachel is returning at 17 I think to Kenya, having spent the previous 6 years at an English boarding school. She dearly misses her Kenyan home - a remote farm where life is hard but comfortable - and the numerous farm and household servants who love and care for her. But she returns to a Kenya roiling with violence and political tensions, a British colonial force maintaining a vicious facade of superior occupation, and a new, harsh woman taking the place of her beloved late mother. The brutality of the book is quite hard to take in places, though I have no doubt it accurately represents actual events during this turbulent time. So while the violence was off-putting at times, the story clearly illuminated how fiction can make readers more aware, awake (woke?), and more empathetic citizens. I really admire the sensitivity and skill with which Ms. McVeigh portrays Rachel's developing awareness of the thousands of micro-aggressions that pierce the soul of a subjugated people, in addition to the more obvious and overt systemic racism and associated cruelties. Rachel walks a fine line of compassion and danger, navigating multiple menaces that include an awful stepmother figure, a leering and brutal District Officer, and the very real threat to the Kikuyu laborers of the farm as well as her own life and property. Again, not sure how I feel about the book, but if you want fiction that makes you think and feel and learn, this is a good bet.

Happy new thread!

Thanks, Chelle!

Just added Spinning Silver to my list. Thanks for the recommendation.

Saw your picture of the family in Germany by the little free library. Looks like you are having a wonderful time!

Glad to hear you're having a fantastic time on your trip, Anne. Hopefully the weather continues to be good. :)

>49 AMQS: Sounds like a good one, Anne.

It sounds like you are having a great time. Safe travels.

>52 witchyrichy: Hi Karen, it has been a great trip! We're looking forward to coming home tomorrow, but we have really enjoyed sightseeing and visiting family.

>53 MickyFine: Hi Micky! The weather got very hot - you may have heard about the major heatwave Europe had - but after a few very hot days it has cooled down a bit. We altered a few plans this weekend but that only meant exchanging a few water castles for relaxed time at home visiting with new/old friends :) Hope you are well.

>54 BLBera: It was a good one, Beth. A good, chunky one to bring on a trip and not bring home, if you know what I mean:)

We are having a wonderful time. Even in the two weeks we have been here my baby nephew has changed so much. It has been wonderful to get to know him a little. We are so lucky - they are coming to Colorado for Christmas (my sister in-law's entire family is also coming) and we are so excited. But little Falcon will be an entirely different baby at Christmas, so we are thrilled to get to see him now. We're relaxing in our borrowed apartment tonight before flying home tomorrow.

42. Kitchens of the Great Midwest by J. Ryan Stradal

A foodie novel of the upper midwest comprised of loosely connected vignettes surrounding Eva, her extraordinarily sophisticated palate, and her humble but rock-solid food instincts. Funny and sad, and very unique. Good vacation read.

Wishing you safe travels, Anne, and excellent plane reads. :)

Also wishing you safe travels, Anne.

Happy July 4th.

>56 AMQS: I remember liking but not loving Kitchens of the Midwest. I think the food was what kept me reading.

Hope you are home safe. Christmas will come soon enough but you are right about the baby not being the same. Glad you had a chance to get to know him now.

>57 MickyFine: Thank you, Micky! Our trip home was uneventful, which is exactly what it should be! I timed my reading pretty well also - finished a book with about 30 minutes to spare!

>58 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! We did indeed arrive home safely, and went to bed just as fireworks were starting all over the city along with a terrific thunderstorm. Not the most patriotic of holidays, I'll admit...

>59 witchyrichy: I'm with you: I liked it but didn't love it. I felt a little guilty as I was reading it. I gave it as a birthday gift to my mom last year after reading rave reviews about it at the Tattered Cover from staff. She gave it back to me to read, but I see now it is definitely not her kind of book!

Yes, we are home safe and slowly recovering from jet lag. It takes awhile, so we're trying to get back into the groove without pushing too hard. We miss our family in Germany very much, and look forward to seeing everyone at Christmas. We went to Munster for a long weekend to stay with the family of our exchange student, and that was wonderful, as was Munster. They will be coming on a grand US tour that will end up in Denver in early August, so we look forward to seeing them even sooner!

Thanks, everyone for the wishes and messages! As you know, I am perpetually behind, but plan to make the rounds to your threads very soon! XOXO

43. The Alice Network by Kate Quinn

I enjoyed (liked but didn't love?) this novel that alternated back and forth between France during WWI and France a few years after WWII, telling the story of Eve, a fresh-faced, stammering, unlikely spy and member of the Alice Network of female WWI spies, and Charlie, young, pregnant, and haunted by the disappearance and presumed death of her beloved cousin Rose during WWII. Stories about the wars are often harrowing, and this one was no exception. I faulted the book at times for straining credulity, but it was redeemed when I read the author's historical notes, and was impressed by how many of the book's central plot points are actual historical fact. A good, if imperfect look at a lesser-known tale celebrating women taking incredible risks for their countries during some of the darkest periods of our recent history.

44. Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier

If you love middle-grade novels that weave fantasy with history and terrific storytelling, then you need to read Jonathan Auxier. I realize I've read everything he's written: The Night Gardener I loved for its celebration of stories, its historical atmosphere, and its genuine scariness (there are kids who LOVE scary stories, and too many of them are not truly scary - this one is). I loved Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes and especially its companion novel Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard, two adventure/fantasy books that also celebrate books and stories. Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster I love best of all, and it will likely be a 2019 favorite.

If you have never climbed inside a chimney, perhaps you are wondering what it's like. Imagine holding an open book. Maybe you are holding one right now? Imagine a black tunnel exactly that size - an endless, winding tunnel with no light at the end.
Imagine that the walls of the tunnel are sharp enough to cut your skin bloody. Imagine some of the walls will crush you if you touch them wrong. Imagine some of the walls are on fire.
Now imagine placing a cloth over your head.
Take a deep breath, if you still can.
And crawl inside.

Little Nan Sparrow lived a hard but charmed life with the Sweep. He cared for her, kept her safe, shared their paltry food, and told her stories, including Story Soup, which they had on nights there was nothing to eat, but was somehow comforting and nourishing. But one day the Sweep disappeared, leaving Nan with nothing but a little bit of char, mysteriously warm. Nan at 6 years old becomes indentured to a brutal master and is a climber - a child that climbs from a hearth through to the chimney on the roof, cleaning while he goes - a very real and very dangerous job for poor and orphaned children in Victorian times. Nan becomes stuck in a chimney fire and is saved by her little piece of char, which comes to life when it catches fire. Nan and Charlie - her bit of char fashions a body for himself - make a life together. Nan scours storybooks to see if she can find anything like Charlie, and comes across a golem - monsters and protectors formed of clay and designed for obsolescence. The obsolescence part worries Nan - the idea that Charlie exists to fulfill a purpose and will die when he does fills her with fear and dread, and she devotes her life and energies to protecting her protector.

"That's what it is to care for a person," Toby said. There was not even a hint of mocking in his voice. "If you're not afraid, you're not doing it right."

Love and friendship is woven throughout the book, a heartwarming counterpoint to the bleakness of Nan's life on the streets of Victorian London. The book is pretty much perfect - adventure, harrowing danger, historical setting, and love. Like Mr. Auxier's other novels, it celebrates stories and their power, and has references to Dickens, Tolkein, Shelley (Frankenstein), William Blake, The Water Babies, and more. I loved it.

>62 AMQS: Ooh, you got me bad with that one!

>63 foggidawn: Oh foggi, I'm glad! I hope you love it as much as I did!

Welcome home, Anne. It sounds like you had a wonderful trip. I remember liking Kitchens of the Great Midwest as well.

I read some of the stories from Toys Go Out to Scout today, and she loved them! She wanted the other books as well. She has a birthday in a month, so that will be a good present.

Auxier goes on my WL.

Beth, that makes me so happy! The chapter with Lumphy and the washing machine had us all rolling on the floor. I hope both you and Scout love the books as much as we do. I think you will love Jonathan Auxier's books, particularly Sweep. I have been thinking about it a lot.

Welcome home, Anne! Loved your photos!

She did love the chapter about the washing machine. She said her buddies that sleep in the cradle play at night as well. :)

Anne, I'm glad you are home again and that you had a wonderful time in Germany. I loved all the pictures you posted on FB. I would love to visit there again someday. I have similar feelings about The Alice Network in that I didn't love it but still enjoyed the story. These days a book has to be exceptional to get a - !Wow! - from me.

I hope you have a few weeks off before you have to return to school. My daughter-in-law Rebecca's sister just got a new job as school librarian at Bromley East Charter School in Brighton, CO. My son is very happy as that is where Hope will be starting school next month. They live about 20 minutes away so he's hoping she can get some rides from Aunt Rachel!

>62 AMQS: Yes, please: "If you love middle-grade novels that weave fantasy with history and terrific storytelling, then you need to read Jonathan Auxier." Have added all of them to my list!

I am sure that you've all recovered from your jet lag by now and can enjoy a wonderful weekend.

>68 Copperskye: Thank you, Joanne! I hope you are having a wonderful summer. We're enjoying the cooler temps today before the return to 90s next week!

>69 BLBera: I'm sure they do, Beth! Both of my girls loved their childhood stories, but Marina was particularly appreciative of childhood's magic. She's working on that topic for her college Common App essay :)

>70 Donna828: Oh Donna, that's great news! Besides the possibility of a ride to school, having someone who already loves your child in a school is a good thing. Congratulations to her! We had a great time in Germany, and I guess we were most surprised by Munster. It doesn't even appear in several of the Germany travel books we got at the library, but of every place we went, it's the place we think we could happily live. It was just lovely. We're told it rains a lot there, but it was hot and sunny when we were there. Marina and I were told the same thing about Wales, as we happily explored a country we both adored in warm temperatures and dazzling sunshine. We think they're just trying to "talk down" the places so people won't come. Something Coloradans should have caught on to long ago;) . Speaking of CO, are you due for a visit soon?

>71 witchyrichy: Yay, Karen! I hope you love them as much as I did! Glad you have Nevermoor ready for the right time also - love those books.

>72 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul! Yes, we're having a lazy weekend, which we're quite enjoying. Hope yours was good as well.

45. Lost & Found: Helping Behaviorally Challenging Students (and, While You're at it, All the Others) by Ross W. Greene, PhD

I am participating in a book study with some colleagues, including our newest mental health professionals, and we will hopefully begin to implement the system and strategies detailed in Lost & Found. Some professional learning books can be lofty or unrealistic - this one was a good read, with the both unique and very practical premise that students will do well if they can, that behavior is often the result of lagging skills for solving problems, and that addressing the skills deficit collaboratively with the student rather than addressing the behavior and imposing adult-defined, unilateral consequences will lead to lasting behavior impacts. The book is conversational, honest (the author is upfront about refining practice or even discarding ones that have proved ineffective), and very realistic. I look forward to meeting my colleagues tomorrow and discussing with them.

Related to behavior, of course, is mental health and social-emotional learning. Mental health is the latest focus for schools, and not a minute too soon. Our school has hopefully gone from famine to feast. It can be a hard school to staff because of its size (small) and location (mountain). Last year, we had a patchwork of mental health support because we could not hire anyone to fill a position, but with the passage of my district's mill levy last year, there is more money dedicated to mental health support, and our school was able to offer more FTE , and we have two people on board to support next year, and social-emotional learning will be the focus of our school's UIP (Unified Improvement Plan). It's a daunting but very meaningful journey we'll be taking together, and hopefully it will really benefit kids.

46. Wundersmith: The Calling of Morrigan Crow

I absolutely love this series. it is quirky, very funny, magical, and with many of the same themes that make Harry Potter so wonderful: friendship, loyalty, proving yourself while staying true to yourself, learning to use and control powers (knacks), a nuanced examination of ethics, and a dark menace with unfinished business. This is the second book of Morrigan Crow's adventures and misadventures. I absolutely cannot wait for the third.

>75 AMQS: This sounds like a good one, Anne.

I hope you are rested from your trip; it took me a while when I got back this time.

>75 AMQS: Looks like the next book is Hollowpox: The Hunt for Morrigan Crow, and comes out March 10th, 2020. I'm excited, too, and glad there's less than a year to wait!

>77 foggidawn: Ooh, exciting! I'm waiting for my hold on the second book at the moment but glad to see there's a date for book 3. :)

>74 AMQS: Too often things like mental health support and social emotional learning are left behind when there is a lack of funding and in the face of testing. It's good to hear that your community has managed to find a way to get at least some staffing to work with adults and kids. I'll be interested in hearing how it goes.

>76 BLBera: Beth, the Morrigan Crow books are fantastic! Hoping they catch on at school. They're big, which can sometimes be a deterrent unless a kid is already invested in the series like HP.

>77 foggidawn: Oh foggi, that's great news! I usually place an order in April before my purchasing deadline, so I should be able to get it for my summer reading next year!

>78 MickyFine: Me too!

>79 witchyrichy: Thanks, Karen. Education is a little crazy with initiative fatigue, constantly changing technology teachers are supposed to integrate everywhere, and of course, testing. My school has an advantage, I think because we're small and relatively stable as far as staffing, students, and most importantly, leadership. We had our book study meeting Monday. I found out one of our mental health professionals will be full time, which absolutely blows my mind (he's supposed to be half-time dedicated to gen-ed students and half time dedicated to GT students) and our other mental health professional is there 3 days a week. This is huge for us. We have never had that level of support before. Our previous mental health professional came from a state (UT) that "flips" the counseling/social-emotional services model so there's more support in elementary school and a bit less at the secondary level, the idea being that increased services at younger ages prevents some of the problems that appear in HS. I think CO is late to the notion that elementary students need support. Like somehow elementary students have no mental health issues or trauma and those issues just appear in HS? I think things are slowly starting to shift and that's a good thing.

Feeling a little low after visiting with an orthopedic surgeon. I have had pain in my hip for a few years now, and it is steadily getting worse. I have seen my doctor a few times, and was suggested stretches, etc. I had a hernia repaired last fall in the same area and sort of hoped that was the problem, but alas no. So now I am seeing a surgeon and have had x-rays, an arthrogram and MRI (itself an arduous process of battling with insurance). The verdict: a labral tear, which can ordinarily be fixed with surgery. But I also have a chunk of my hip bone that is actually broken off and is floating around in the front of my hip. My surgeon likens it to a rock in my shoe, and thinks it's been broken off like that for years. For that reason the joint is not as stable and as strong as it should be, and I have quite a lot of arthritis degeneration. So he thinks I will need a hip replacement surgery in the next 1-4 years, and that surgery now will not help the problem and could actually hasten the degeneration. I am 49. In the meantime: physical therapy and cortisone shots if I need them. This is not the news I was hoping to hear. And my girls tell me it is too early for wine. Alas.

>81 AMQS: Sorry to hear it.

>81 AMQS: Ouch! I'm certain a chunk of hip bone floating around in your body entitles you to wine at any time you want!

>81 AMQS: Oh Anne. Big hugs for you and maybe a healthy dose of chocolate until it's wine o'clock.

>84 MickyFine: - Pshaw. It's always wine o'clock.

It's summer! You're not working! Indulge!

But I'm sorry for that news, Anne.

>81 AMQS: So sorry for you, Anne.

Sorry to hear it, Anne. As someone with two hip replacements, I can tell you that part’s not so bad.

Anne - I'm so sorry to hear about your hip. But, the good news is that surgeries and replacements are so much better now than they used to be. My sister had her first hip replacement when she was 30; I think her second was in her 40s and she still has that one, and now she is in her 50s.

Scout is loving The Toys Go Out, and my daughter is having fun reading them. Scout's birthday is soon and I got the other ones for her.

>82 foggidawn: Thank you, foggi.

>83 norabelle414: That's what I said, Nora! However, cooler/soberer heads prevailed and we went out to dinner at a cool newish food market, in part to celebrate Stelios's birthday :)

>84 MickyFine: Yes, Micky, I have been trying to cut down on sugar, but I admit to a lot of chocolate that day...

>85 katiekrug: A woman after my own heart, Katie! Thanks for your words of encouragement, and for the reminder that I should definitely savor not working! Those days are drawing to a close, unfortunately.

>86 FAMeulstee: Thank you, Anita. I have had encouragement here particularly about the surgery, so I am feeling somewhat braver now.

>87 jnwelch: Joe, that is really good to hear. I have heard a lot of people say they wish they hadn't waited so long. We'll see how I progress. I start physical therapy soon. I am so glad to know about your experience.

>88 BLBera: Thank you, Beth. In her 20s??? Wow. Poor girl! My surgeon did say that nowadays they last for 30 or so years, so I am good until at least my 80s. I have a hard time imagining having a hip replaced in my 80s but I know people do. Hope your sister is feeling good.
Love to hear about Toys Go Out. I think I will have to ask a teacher if I can read it aloud to her class. I miss those stories and sharing them with kids. Scout will love the others!

47. Venetia by Georgette Heyer, (abridged) audiobook narrated by Richard Armitage

Richard Armitage is fantastically swoony as usual, but I admit this is not my favorite Heyer (alternate title could be: When Your Beloved is So Amazingly Debauched You Must Contrive to Ruin Your Own Reputation to Marry Him). Still, Venetia is a wonderfully strong and colorful character. Good, light listening.

48. Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser

I finished this hefty book today - not quite in time for my book club yesterday, but we nevertheless had a lively discussion. I really enjoyed the first half of the book, which details Laura Ingall's Wilder's life - her pioneering and homesteading parents, and their few triumphs and many misfortunes as they moved constantly, committing themselves and their savings to claim and clear land and build a house before losing everything and following a dream somewhere else. Reading this account while remembering the Little House books was fascinating. The second half of the book was far less agreeable, though I think I can hardly fault the author - she faithfully describes LIW's life, and much of it is very ugly. One reviewer here on LT likens this book to seeing how sausage is made, particularly if the reader loves the Little House Books, which I do. Apparently neither Laura Ingalls Wilder's story nor her stories can be explained without delving deeply into her relationship with her daughter Rose Wilder Lane, who is one of my least favorite people I have ever met in a book. I am mostly glad I read the book, and very glad I finished it.

49. Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood

Oh wow, what a book. A middle grade novel in verse that tells the true story of a small group of survivors adrift in a lifeboat in the North Atlantic for 13 days after their ship City of Benares was torpedoed by a German U-Boat in 1940. The book is told from the perspective of Ken Sparks, who at 13 won a place via lottery on a ship that would bring British children to safety in Canada to escape the bombings in London. He has mixed feelings about going, feeling it is a way for his stepmother to get rid of him, but soon is swept up in the excitement of the sea voyage with 90 other children. Life aboard ship is pretty grand, with sumptuous meals not seen in ration-era, hungry England for a long time, as well as toys and games. They zig-zag their way with a protective convoy until it is decided they are out of range of German U-Boats, which is precisely the time that they strike. The torpedoes, the fleeing of the ship in lifeboats, the chaos in the nighttime waters, and the desperate struggle to survive aboard the lifeboat in unimaginable conditions make for a heart-pounding, breathless read. I read the book pretty much in one sitting, and sobbed with relief and joy upon rescue. The book is thoroughly researched, with pages of notes, original sources, recommended reading, interview notes, and photographs of the ship, the lifeboat, and Ken Sparks and other characters in the book. Highly recommended.

>81 AMQS: Oh, OUCH, Anne! I’m sorry to hear that! I have some arthritis in my hips (diagnosed when I had a bout of bursitis a couple years ago) and I know that hip pain can be awful. And a bone chip rolling around....yikes... I’m glad to hear the supportive comments regarding replacement and hope you can go longer without having to deal with it.

So nice to get a slight break today to our heat wave. That rainstorm yesterday was something. We were in Denver and just got back to the car when it started and it was an exciting drive home.

Anne - You got me again with LIfeboat 12; it sounds great.

My sister had a congenital hip problem, which is why she was so young with her first replacement.

>93 Copperskye: Joanne, I'm glad you came through the storm okay. It was pretty apocalyptic here! We had more rain today but nothing violent.

Sorry you're having hip trouble also. I have had a lot of encouraging words about hip replacement, so I am feeling a bit better. Hope yours isn't too bad. Do you do anything for your hip pain? I start PT next week.

>94 BLBera: Beth, it is a great one. A little-known WWII story told in a wonderfully accessible and engaging way - not something I often say about a novel in verse! Hope your sister's hip lasts a long, long time.

50. The Storm Keeper's Island by Catherine Doyle

The beginning of a middle grade fantasy series set on the Irish island of Annanmore. Fionn and his sister Tara arrive on Arranmore to spend the summer with their grandfather. There's something about Arranmore - it seems to whisper to Fionn, and weird things happen. It turns out that his grandfather is the island's Storm Keeper, and it is time for the island to choose his successor. Meanwhile an ancient evil is also awaiting Fionn to help her awaken and resume her awful war.

I didn't enjoy this book as much as I hoped to. I felt the magic and folklore to be confusing and over-muddied. Characters were beyond nasty before the reader has a chance to understand why that might be, and I found that off-putting. The book ends with the expectation of more adventures and battles, but I don't know that I enjoyed it enough to read on, although this book was very highly praised in School Library Journal, Booklist, and more.

51. Mac Undercover by Mac Barnett

This is a Colorado Children's Book Award nomination for 2020, and it is precisely the kind of book kids love: fast-paced, humorous, and liberally sprinkled with goofy illustrations. Mac recounts his childhood in the 1980s, living with his mom and taking care of chores.
Since it was just the two of us, I had a lot of responsibilities: I did the dishes, packed my lunches, cooked our dinners, washed the laundry, dusted, vacuumed, and cleaned out our rabbits' litter boxes.
(I wanted a dog. We had rabbits instead.)
It was also my responsibility to answer the phone, even though it was never for me.
One afternoon the phone rang, and it was for me.
It was the Queen of England.

What follows is a silly romp through Europe in search of some missing crown jewels. These books ought to be a hit with elementary readers, and a good choice for reluctant readers.

Apparently neither Laura Ingalls Wilder's story nor her stories can be explained without delving deeply into her relationship with her daughter Rose Wilder Lane, who is one of my least favorite people I have ever met in a book. I am mostly glad I read the book, and very glad I finished it.

I liked Prairie Fires, too, Anne. But I could've done with a whole lot less Rose, who's one of my least favorite people I've ever met in a book, too. Maybe it makes for a more "complete" book, but I would've been fine with Caroline Fraser and her editor X'ing out most of the Rose material. I think the book would've been better for it.

I never read the Little House books when I was young, and my wife hadn't either. So now she's reading them aloud for the two of us. We're on #8 or 9. Really good - it's been a fun shared experience.

I felt the same way about Rose Wilder Lane! She was an interesting person to read about, but so completely unpleasant!

>98 jnwelch: I love that, Joe! The Little House books were such a huge part of my childhood and my daughters'. I feel a little sad knowing "the inside story' - but it doesn't change the magic they brought to us when we were young.

>99 foggidawn: She was awful! I feel for her knowing she suffered from mental illness. I think it is really hard to get care in 2019, so I can't imagine how she must have suffered, but still she was extremely unpleasant.

I am having a good reading month, and have made major progress through the box of books I brought home from school for summer reading.



52. Refugee by Alan Gratz

Oh wow, is this ever an important book for kids. Three refugees' stories are told in alternating, short, cliffhanging chapters: Josef, whose Jewish family was ordered to leave Germany in 1939; Isabel with her family and her neighbors fleeing Cuba in a makeshift boat in 1994; and Mahmoud and his family fleeing Syria over land and over sea in 2015. Mr. Gratz somehow finds a way to bring their stories together in the end. Nothing is sugar-coated here. This is an excellent book for readers 5th grade and up who may want to know more about refugees. The book does an excellent job of showing why desperate families may have no choice but a desperate escape, and that the refugees simply want to live, not to take anything away from anyone. The stories are based on real events, and the book includes maps and resources for kids who want to help. I am so thrilled this is a Colorado Children's Book Award nominee for 2020.

53. Krista Kim-Bap by Angela Ahn

Another great read. This one is a good addition to the friendship-changing, pre-adolescent, figuring out who you are genre. Often these books focus on a child who has always had that one friend, and then that one friend starts making new friends or hanging out with the popular kids, leaving the main character hurt, left out, and more alone than ever. This one swaps the roles a bit. Krista has been best friends with Jason since they were both three years old. Now in 5th grade, she is included in the popular girls' circle, leaving Jason hurt and Krista torn. In addition to the growing up/evolving friendship story at the book's heart, Krista is also navigating her Korean-Canadian heritage, and figuring out how to balance her looks, background, and interests with both western and Korean influences at school, at home, and in popular media. When Krista has to figure out how to make things right with Jason, she has help from an unexpected source: her severe, traditional Korean grandmother. I really enjoyed this one, and only wish it included recipes!

>81 AMQS: Oh dear! Sorry to hear about your hip. I have my first appt with the orthopedist on Tuesday. I've been limping around with a bad hip for awhile but it has gotten to the point where I'm using a cane most of the time. I am a bit older than you (57) yet still young for a replacement. Hoping for a cortisone shot but if surgery would make it better, I may just go that way. For now, I'm struggling with the prescription NSAID they gave me. After a week, it made me dizzy so I stopped taking it yesterday and am back to my OTC ibuprofen and lots of ice. If I have to be sitting, I need to be able to read!

>101 AMQS:, >102 AMQS: These sound great, Anne. I'm adding them to my list. I found a couple of chapter books for Scout, and my daughter was reading the first two chapters to her because they had to leave to get groceries. Well, after two chapters, Scout wanted to continue reading, but her mom held firm. Scout said, bitterly, "I wish I knew how to read."

I have a feeling it won't be long!

When does school start for you. A month and counting for me. :(

>103 witchyrichy: Yikes, Karen, i'm sorry. Were you on Mobic/Meloxicam? My PT mentioned it, and Marina was on it for a couple of years for her RA. I'm hanging in there with ibuprofen and ice. I started physical therapy yesterday, and my therapist was very positive.

>104 BLBera: Oh no, it won't be - wanting to is the biggest part! I am proud of the girls for so many reasons, but I am really thrilled they both love to read.

Enjoy your month, Beth. I go back to school Friday :( It just doesn't seem possible. Students start August 14. Our district's calendar is weird this year. Teachers were supposed to go back to school after winter break on January 2, but the district allowed schools to vote on exchanging August 7 for January 2. My school voted for an August 7 start, and since librarians come back three days before teachers, that pushed my start to August 2. People will wonder why there are claw marks going up Highway 285 on Friday.

>105 AMQS: Going back to school in August just seems wrong but I'm very used to our Canadian system which (unless there's year-round schooling going on) tends towards the September-June cycle. Maybe pack some treats in your lunch on Friday. ;)

>81 AMQS: I am sorry to hear about your health issue, Anne.

I made a pact with a colleague at work yesterday that we will both attempt to lose weight and be healthier from this coming Monday.

He goes back to Ireland in October for his sister's wedding and doesn't want to quite stand out so much in the crowd!

Target for me is to lose 13kg or 2 stones/28 lbs in that period and to be able to walk up the four flights of stairs to the project office without thinking that the world is coming to an end!

Have a great weekend.

>105 AMQS: :( Boo to the end of summer. We need to retire.

>106 MickyFine: it seems wrong to us, too, Micky, although finishing in May does not seem wrong:) When I was growing up we started in September, but as long as my kids have been in school we've been starting in August.

>107 PaulCranswick: Paul, good luck with your goal - I think it's brilliant to team up with a colleague. I need to do something similar - Stelios is already so fit and committed to exercise, etc that he's not a great partner in that regard. I would love to work with someone with similar goals and lack of experience as me:) . Paul, I hope you have a great week!

>108 BLBera: It is never getting easier to end a summer and begin a school year, is it, Beth? I fantasize a lot about retirement, but with at least 5 more years of college ahead of us it is not in the near future. Do you have plans to retire or a target year?

It seemed ridiculous to start my school year/contract on a Friday, but since we didn't have any travel plans for the weekend it was actually nice - I got to dip a toe in, so to speak, and then have a weekend. Students start this year on a Wednesday (Aug 14). In the past few years they've started on Thursdays and I have loved it - it kind of eases us into the school year. Beth, I hope you thoroughly enjoy your remaining weeks off, but I'm guessing that like most teachers you're filling your days with appointments and errands.

I can't believe you are back at school already, Anne--although I think my sister has to be back in another week in Kansas. Out here, South Bay went back in mid-July (one year-round schedule) while San Diego City Schools just let out on the 19th and won't be back until after Labor Day.

Sweep was a book bullet. Our library has it but is undergoing a system change and I can't put anything on hold right now. Frustrating!

>105 AMQS: Boo for going back to school so early! Nonetheless, may it go as smoothly as possible

Spent the morning at school and now feel virtuous. :) You start REALLY early. I will be spending a lot of time at school during the next couple of weeks.

I just read one that reminded me of you, Anne, Weird Little Robots - a great read about girls who are interested in science and who don't fit in. It was charming and will go on Scout's shelf. The girls in the story are eleven, but I'd say third graders would probably like it.

>110 ronincats: Hi Roni! Yes, we start early. Many of our buildings are uncomfortably hot! I really don't like starting in August but I have no complaints in May:) I hope you love Sweep when you are able to get it - I have been thinking about it a lot. I am a huge fan of Jonathan Auxier.

>111 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita! Actually, it has been pretty smooth. Last year's beginning-of-year was rough technology-wise, which ends up on my plate. This year has been easier, but the start is always busy. Hoping to get into a routine.

>112 BLBera:, >113 BLBera: Beth, you are virtuous! I always have a long list of school-related tasks I hope to accomplish over summer but I never, ever do, and actively protect my time. Then deeply regret it when school starts and I have more to do than I can manage. I hope your efforts pay off and that you don't rob yourself of too much time off.

Thank you for the recommendation of Weird Little Robots! How did you get it? My vendor doesn't have it available until October.

Yikes - way behind on my own thread!



54. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery, audiobook narrated by Barbara Barnes

I had seen some conversation here about this book - I'm guessing not as well known in the US as Ms. Montgomery's Anne of Green Gables series. This one was as wonderful as the LT reviewers promised. A triumph of a meek and cowed woman taking her life into her own hands on her own terms and finding happiness after a lifetime of domination by her family. I loved it.

>115 AMQS: Meeee! I was one of the ones warbling about that title. I'm so glad you liked it!

55. Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin - I did a hybrid print and audio read; audiobook narrated by Robert Ian Mackenzie

This was the first of our book club's 2019-2020 selections, and the suggestion of a new member who loved the book. I can only go to book club 2-3 times a year as it meets on Friday mornings, so I don't know what the reaction of the rest of the group was, but I found what is described as a brilliant farce an interminable slog. Freddy and Fredericka are the Prince and Princess of Wales, and in the press for all the wrong reasons - he for being an over-educated bumbling buffoon and she for seeking out media attention with the moth-to-flame like devotion and shockingly revealing wardrobe of an Instagram influencer. As punishment, they are sent to clean up their act in America and charged with reacquiring the wayward former colony for England. The book is indeed very clever, with several passages that had me in stitches, but it is also bafflingly random and devolves with irritating frequency into long and confused "conversations" around homophones and other linguistic bizarrisms. Presidential candidate Dewey Knott and his wife Dot Knott alone nearly put me over the edge. I stuck with it as the new book club member promised that the ending is simply marvelous and worth the first few hundred pages it takes to get there. What I found was that I should have definitely Pearl-Ruled this book. I would have saved myself 500 pages if I had :(

>116 foggidawn: foggi, THANK YOU! I really loved it.

>115 AMQS: I was also a contributor to that, although Foggi is that book's biggest pusher around these parts. :D

>118 AMQS: and >119 MickyFine: *blushes*

>119 MickyFine: Yes, Micky, I think you were, so thank you!

I got Weird Little Robots as an ER book, Anne. It was so wonderful. You will love it. I think it would be great for a third or fourth grader, although I could be off.

Scout had her meet-the-teacher day today. :( My little one is growing up way too fast.

I had my first day of class today, and I have to admit I could have prepared more. Still, all went well. I will just have some long days this week.

I just added Weird Little Robots to my winter order - thank you!

Wow - hard to believe Scout is old enough for that! My baby just started her senior year of high school, though - I still can't believe it.

I hope you have a wonderful school year!

It seems like once they start school, time flies. It seems like she had a good first day today. She said she has a nice teacher.

>123 AMQS: & >122 BLBera:

I feel that too at the moment with Yasmyne here fresh from university graduation complete with Norwegian boyfriend. She will always be my baby even at 22.

Have a lovely weekend, Anne.

>124 BLBera: Oh Beth, I hope it is just wonderful for her!

>125 PaulCranswick: Paul *GASP* Can she really have graduated already? Oh, that's too much. Are you sure you counted correctly?

And yet... Marina is a senior in high school this year. I can hardly believe it.

We had a long weekend here for Labor Day and the entire weekend was beastly hot. Like record-breaking hot. Ugh. We were dog sitting and did not do much - going out and hiking, which is what we usually like to do on weekends did not sound so appealing in the heat, so we stayed in. I treated myself to mornings on the deck with iced coffee and a book and evenings on the deck with a glass of wine and a book.

I treated myself to


56. The Bear and the Nightingale by Katherine Arden

I loved it. It was just what I needed after slogging through Freddy and Fredericka. This is dark and spooky Russian folklore with a strong female protagonist who defies convention to do the right thing. Like many stories of this kind, the heart of the problem lies with the conflict between two traditions. The traditional spirits and nymphs and guardians of the home, the hearth, the stables, the trees, the rivers are increasingly neglected and feared as Christianity takes hold and with it its culture of fear and obedience. As the protective guardians weaken, an evil in the wood awakens and terrible things begin happening to the village and the wider world. This is a fierce tale of independence and risk. I loved it. I can't wait for Marina to read it.

57. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, audiobook narrated by Neil Gaiman

A dark and gritty fantasy about the shadowy world of London Below - a London most people do not know exists. Nor does protagonist Richard Mayhew until the day he stops to render aid to a girl bleeding on a London sidewalk and is pulled into this world, vanishing from London above and his life. I enjoy Neil Gaiman narrating his own work.

>128 AMQS: BBC Radio did an audio drama of the book, which I really, really love and you should track down at some point. Truly top notch cast on that one.

>129 MickyFine: Micky, I've seen it. Glad to know it is so good! I will track it down for sure - thank you!

58. The Missing Piece of Charlie O'Reilly by Rebecca K.S. Ansari

Charlie O'Reilly was an only child. It therefore made everyone uncomfortable when he talked about his little brother.

With this great hook begins a story of love, loss, regret, forgiveness, and eerie, supernatural mystery. Charlile remembers Liam so clearly - his favorite foods, how he used to mess up Charlie's comics, Liam's irritating nickname for him -- but no one else has any recollection of him, and the more Charlie insists, the deeper the goes the wedge that is driving his family apart. Only Ana, Charlie's best friend, steadfastly believes him, though she has no memory of Liam either. Then two things happen: Charlie and Ana meet Jonathan, a young and wise volunteer coach of their baseball team, and Charlile starts having vivid dreams where he is a boy named Kieran undertaking the grinding, dangerous journey to America with his family after enduring unimaginable loss in Ireland during the Great Potato Famine. The fates of Liam, Kieran, Charlie, Ana, and Jonathan are intertwined in a creepily magical way.

It took me some time to get into the book, particularly once the dreams started happening, as they seemed like such a random distraction. Once the action really got going I could not put the book down. Other reviewers have wondered how the themes of guilt and forgiveness would resonate with middle grade readers. I wonder the same thing. The book was published in 2019, so I guess we shall see.

>131 AMQS: Oh, that one sounds interesting! Adding it to my list.

Hi Amber! I'll be interested to see what you think of it, and if you think kids will like/get it.

Hope you have a wonderful day!

59. Blended by Sharon Draper, audiobook narrated by Sharon Draper

Sharon Draper's amazing middle grade novel Out of My Mind is a favorite of both students and teachers, so I knew I would be in good hands with Blended. And that knowledge was comforting, because things got REAL. As in, I had to stop listening when I sensed something coming because I knew if I kept listening I would be trapped in my driveway. And then I worried about the characters all night. And when I did continue the next day I arrived at school a runny-nosed mess from ugly crying in the car. But I trusted Sharon Draper wouldn't do something too awful to me, and my trust was rewarded.

So you should read Blended. She does an amazing job portraying the anger, uncertainty, and helplessness of a child whose parents have divorced and who now divides time into "mom's week" and "dad's week." And the confusing, messy process of adding future stepparents and step-siblings to the mix (I absolutely love all of the "steps" in this book and wish every child could be so lucky). On top of all of this, mom is white and dad is black, so Isabella (dad's name for her)/Izzy (mom's name for her) also has the turmoil of being a mixed-race child. The majority of the story takes place in Isabella's 6th grade year, a year of burgeoning awareness of social and racial issues. And the issues become personal. A class discussion of the Civil Right Movement becomes heated and the aftermath is ugly. Isabella sees racial profiling first-hand, and experiences some casual, more thoughtless than deliberately hurtful racism that still hurts no matter what the intent was. She has wonderfully strong adults in her life who help her process and cope, but who also are not perfect and can behave toward each other in a way that adds rather than relieves the turmoil. I love this strong, brave girl and thought the book was very well done.

>134 AMQS: What a great review! You got me...and I picked up a copy of the The Bear and the Nightingale at the bookstore yesterday. Plan a long weekend of reading!

>135 witchyrichy: Oh Karen, glad I got you - twice! Hope you enjoy the books as much as I did. A long weekend of reading sounds absolutely wonderful. Hope it was!

>131 AMQS: This one sounds interesting, but I wonder if the intended audience will think so? Great comments, Anne.

>134 AMQS: This one sounds powerful. I was laughing, though, at the image of you sitting in your car crying...

Neverwhere was the first Neil Gaiman I read, and I loved it. I've heard that his reading of his own work is really good. I need to find an audiobook with him reading.

>137 BLBera: Hi Beth! I do really enjoy Neil Gaiman reading his own work. My only complaint is that he reads with a lot of inflection and variety in volume in response to suspenseful or mysterious passages, which has great dramatic effect, but the unevenness in volume can make certain passages hard to hear in a car. But that's the only complaint, really - he's a great narrator.

I do wonder about Charlie O'Reilly and student response. I enjoyed the read but it won't be a year-end favorite or anything. Blended was terrific, tears and all!

60. The Flatshare by Beth O'Leary, audiobook narrated by Carrie Hope Fletcher and Kwaku Fortune

I have foggi to thank for this one. I was anticipating a light and diverting romance, but the book really drew me in and as with Blended above, I spent a lot of time worrying about the characters and cheering for them. Tiffy has broken up with her long-term boyfriend and urgently needs a place to live on a budget - very tricky in London. She answers an advertisement for a unique flatshare. She will be sharing a flat - and a bed - with current flat occupant Leon, except not at the same time. Tiffy, an editor for a small publishing house specializing in DIY books, can have the flat from 6:00 pm to 8:00 am and on weekends, while Leon, a palliative care nurse who works night shifts, will occupy it weekdays and spend the weekend at his girlfriend's place. Ideally, Tiffy and Leon will never need to meet, and don't for a long time. They do get to know one another through the post-it notes they leave for each other, first asking about which day the trash is picked up, growing into "I stress-bake, so please help yourself" to "are you ok? Your bookmark hasn't moved." The lighter side of the book is tempered with some very serious issues of power dynamics in relationships, and the iniquities of the justice system for vulnerable populations. I recommend this one, particularly on audio, and I thank foggidawn very much for the recommendation!

>139 AMQS: You’re welcome! So glad you liked it.

>139 AMQS: This one does sound good, Anne. I'll check to see if my library has a copy.

>140 foggidawn: I always love your recommendations, foggi! I severely regret that I have not been able to get to your thread for more!

>141 BLBera: I hope you enjoy it, Beth. I was expecting something of a light romance, but it was heftier than I thought, still while being a delightful romance. Miss you.

************************************
Ugh, I have fallen into the busiest pit of busy. I can't imagine that I am any busier than anyone else here, but I just can't seem to get to LT or anything I would like to make time for :( I miss everyone very much, and hope to get caught up with threads eventually. And thank goodness for audio books or I would hardly be reading either.

We miss you too, Anne!

61. The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim Defede, audiobook narrated by Ray Porter

I am sure I heard about this fascinating read here, but I no longer remember who recommended it. 9/11 was such a searing, pivotal day, and with the awfulness of what happened on that day, it is easy (for me) to forget the widespread impact the day and the events and decisions that followed had on people and places all over the world. When the unprecedented decision was made to close US airspace, that forced hundreds of airplanes en route to the United States to divert and land elsewhere. And the hundreds of air traffic controllers, ground crews, immigration officials, and communities had to spring into action to land the planes safely and process and support the passengers. 38 planes with nearly 6600 passengers landed in Gander, Newfoundland, and the stories of air traffic controllers, local officials, churches, schools, service organizations, and ordinary "Newfies" springing into action are moving and powerful. I cried frequently throughout the book - partly from reliving the horror and fear of 9/11, but also from being moved by the selfless generosity of residents of Gander and surrounding towns. People opened their homes, churches, schools, community halls. People queued up to provide food. People did laundry all night so they could drive people to their homes to shower and have a steady supply of laundered towels. People striped their own beds to provide sheets. The manager of Canadian Tire in Gander was given permission to empty the store and donate anything the passengers needed (apparently Canadian Tire is way more than tires) and tellingly, was encouraged to shop at other stores (mostly competitor Walmart) if they ran out or passengers needed anything they couldn't supply. Yes, that's right - Canadian Tire bought or gave away everything and bought FROM Walmart, which had no such philanthropic directives.

My dad was a pilot, so I have always had a healthy respect for aviation workers of all kinds. This book took it to another level. Altering the course of just one plane has ripple effects throughout the entire system, and landing 38 jumbo jets safely is a feat of outstanding professionalism under very difficult conditions (this was also happening in places like St. John, Toronto, and presumably Canadian destinations in other parts of the country).

This may be something of a clunky read in some places, but I was so moved I didn't care. The audiobook narrator sounds enough like Tom Hanks that I could imagine the actor in my car telling me the story. There is now a musical based on the book called Come From Away which I was not able to see when it was in Denver. I'm sorry I missed the musical but I loved the book and have a strong desire to visit Newfoundland. I am a confirmed Canadaphile and am a little afraid Canada will tell me to stop stalking it. We often see the best of humanity at the same time as the worst of humanity. Gander Newfoundland on 9/11 is an exceptional example of this.

>143 ronincats: Aw, thank you, Roni! Hope you are well. I promise I will come visit.

62. The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

I enjoyed this story of a medieval quest undertaken by a hunchback servant boy with a mysterious pilgrim to steal relics of St. Peter, but wonder if students will. It is dreamlike, told by a confused, simple, uneducated boy with a good heart and the ability to talk to animals. Along the way the reader tries figure out if the pilgrim is good or bad, and gasps at the harrowing adventures and dangerous conditions.

63. Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick

This book represents the graphic novel category for our district's Battle of the Books. A sweet story about a boy who crashes to earth and befriends a human boy. The human boy, DJ, is a lonely, ordinary boy in an exceptional family, but finds that his extraordinary gift is friendship and loyalty as he helps Hilo on earth and when he needs to defeat the evil machines that are coming to destroy him and everything else.

>144 AMQS: I married a Newfie transplant so I'll be travelling out there in a couple years to visit his family. I'm looking forward to visiting The Rock.

64. Dear Mrs. Bird by AJ Pearce, audiobook narrated by Anna Popplewell

I enjoyed this one a lot. It seems to start out as a light and breezy book of a young woman who applies for a job at the women's magazine Woman's Friend thinking it could help her get closer to her dream of becoming a lady war correspondent. But this is London in the early 1940s, and that setting alone makes the book weighty. Most nights there are terrible raids from German bombers. Emmeline is on the night shift of the volunteer fire brigade, taking calls all night from desperate victims and sending out "the boys" to help those who have been bombed. Her job at Woman's Friend turns out to be opening and sorting letters for an old fashioned advice columnist who rejects most reader letters on the basis that they are "disgusting" (anything to do with boyfriends, being "in trouble" or wanting to know more about marriage) or unpatriotic (low spirits due to the war, rationing, of loss of a loved one in combat or raid). Emmy feels terrible ignoring readers who are seeking advice, so she secretly starts writing back to a few. The book takes a few turns, Emmy grows up in a hurry, and the reader experiences a share of the heartbreak that was wartime London. Good read and amazing narration by Anna Popplewell. I looked her up to find out more about her and discovered that she was the actress who plays Susan in the Narnia movies. I would definitely look for more of her audiobooks.

>148 MickyFine: Awesome, Micky! I would love to see pictures when you come back :)

65. Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

"Coming of age" category for our district's Battle of the Books. Aven is a very bright and capable middle schooler who moves to Arizona with her family from Kansas. A move at this age is tough on anyone, but Aven was born without arms, and goes from an environment where she has lots of friends who are used to her and pay her disability no mind to an entirely new place where she is considered a freak. Aven cannot handle the stares she gets in the cafeteria when she eats with her feet, so she eats in the bathroom for awhile. Tiring of this, she checks out the library where she is trying to eat but a boy keeps barking at her. Turns out he has Tourette's Syndrome and the barking is a nervous tic (among many others he has). Aven and Conner become friends, and bond to try to solve a mystery surrounding the western theme park her parents now run. Aven struggles with her "newness" but has long come to terms with her disability, and can do everything for herself. Aven helps Conner come to terms with his and a beautiful friendship blossoms. This is a great one to recommend to kids and teachers who love Wonder and Out of My Mind.

>144 AMQS: Wasn’t The Day the World Came to Town just a lovely story! It renewed my faith in humanity. (I should reread it.) We saw Come From Away when it played in Denver. It was excellent and I hope you get a chance to see it. I’m very glad I read the book about Gander first, though, just to have a basic background of how much of an impact the planes had on the town and its people.

>149 AMQS: I’ve got that one on my short list so I’m glad to see you liked it!

>151 AMQS: That seems to be one to look out for.

Hi Anne - It's a busy time for me as well. I do miss you!

I loved The Flatshare. I listened to the audiobook, and it was great. I laughed aloud at several points. It did have more content than I expected -- and that is good.

I also loved Dear Mrs. Bird. Another one that I just read that I think you would like is The Bookish Life of Nina Hill.

>152 Copperskye: It was a lovely story! Did I hear about it from you? Likely. That's it exactly: it renewed my faith in humanity, and boy did it need renewing. If Come From Away come back to town, I will be sure to see it.

Hope you enjoy Dear Mrs. Bird when you get to it - it's very good on audio. Thanks for visiting, Joanne!

>153 PaulCranswick: Hi Paul! I just shared it with a teacher who is now reading it aloud with his 4th/5th grade class. I think they'll all enjoy it. Hope you do, too!

>154 BLBera: Hi Beth! I'm glad you enjoyed The Flatshare, too. Thank you for your recommendation of The Bookish Life of Nina Hill - it looks right up my alley!

66. Greek to Me by Mary Norris, audiobook narrated by Mary Norris

Mary Norris, longtime copy editor, columnist, and author at the New Yorker (The Comma Queen) takes a deep dive into Greece and Greek, exploring them through language and etymology, mythology and culture, geography and world and personal history. The reader is swept along as she discusses the origin of the alphabet, adapted from the Phoenician, the richness of the ancient language and the endless potential translations even of the simplified "grey-eyed goddess" epithet given to Athena by Homer. I think the technical term for her linguistic discourse is "geeking out," and I absolutely love this stuff (I was a linguistics major in college and am also a philhellene). Other reviewers found this tedious, which is fair, I suppose. I struggled more with her personal history and revelations of psychoanalysis. It doesn't get any better than the discussions of mythology, and there just aren't enough words to describe the sheer beauty of Greece. There's even a chapter on Cyprus, birthplace of Aphrodite. Perhaps because I've lived there and traveled there so many times that I am well acquainted with the less beautiful parts of the island nation, I began this chapter with surprise and skepticism - surely Greece is more beautiful? But her descriptions of Cyprus - and I have been everywhere she describes multiple times - are so lovely and so spot-on they made me weep and want to return and appreciate them anew. Ms. Norris is also brutally honest about her misadventures with the modern language, something every traveler who learns some of the local language and then stumbles to use it can relate to. Having made many of these same mistakes myself, I laughed frequently. My one reservation is that, while we share a love of Greek, of Greece and Cyprus, and especially of the history and astonishing contributions to western culture, she does not seem to have a love for Greek people, in my opinion the very best part of a long list of wonderfuls. I have never found Greeks and Greek Cypriots to be anything but warm, generous, and very proud of their reputation for philoxenia - love for the foreigner. I recognize that everyone has different interactions and traveling experiences, however, and I also recognize that I have never traveled in Greece or Cyprus without my husband, which makes a big difference - especially for a woman traveling alone!

The audiobook was narrated by the author, which can be a mixed bag. While not an actor, this book needs someone who can pronounce Greek, and also can mispronounce it, as one who has recently learned. Recommended for anyone who enjoys Greek mythology, western history, and Greece.

67. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

Battle of the Books: "classic" category.

I think I avoided this book growing up because everyone knew how sad it was. And it was. It is also such a different time and place - I spent much of the book cringing at the repeated violence - the raccoon hunting, the decision to chop down a huge tree just to get at the coon treed there, the horrifying accidents and misfortunes that can befall a boy growing up in the Ozark wilderness. I don't think of myself as delicate, but there was far too much gore for my tastes, and I wonder and worry about my 2019 5th graders who will read the book as part of the Battle of the Books. They are mountain kids, and many of them hunt... but still, a book to make us grateful for modern conveniences.

>157 AMQS: I read that one in sixth grade -- it was tough, emotionally!

>158 foggidawn: foggi, looking back, I am glad I didn't read it at that age! It was tough.

Speaking of emotionally tough...

68. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, audiobook narrated by Sissy Spacek

I have lost count of how many times I have read this book. 20? 50? It is still my favorite book of all time. I listened to it this time - a first for me - with a beautiful narration by Sissy Spacek.

>160 AMQS: Sissy Spacek reading To Kill a Mockingbird sounds wonderful!

Karen O.

>160 AMQS: I'm with you, Anne. I've read To Kill a Mockingbird many times. I used to reread it every year. I read parts of it with my daughter when she was pregnant with our very own Scout, but wouldn't mind picking it up again. I've never listened to it. I'll have to check to see if my library has a copy of the audiobook.

>161 klobrien2: It is wonderful, Karen! How are you? So nice to see you here.

>162 BLBera: Every few years I really want to read the book again. I knew about Sissy Spacek's narration but was never tempted to try it until now. It's really wonderful.

69. Matilda by Roald Dahl, audiobook narrated by Kate Winslet

Matilda is the winter musical at Marina's high school, so I decided I was long past due to read the book. I figured out why I had never read it: it was published the year I graduated from high school, and it was many years before I started reading children's literature again. It is marvelous, subversive fun - does anyone do it better than Roald Dahl? I might argue Roald Dahl PLUS Kate Winslet do, in what could be my favorite narration of the year. She is terrific and I'm a little sad she does not narrate every children's book there is. For whatever reason I have listened to a lot of celebrity narrators this year. Kate Winslet is one of the very, very best.

...adding: the exciting news at my house is that Marina, having been the stage manager for her school's theater department for three years has decided to AUDITION for the musical instead! OMG I'm so excited, and so thrilled she'll have this experience. It will be nice to only be responsible for herself (well, she's also in charge of costumes) rather than the entire production. On a related note, she submitted four college applications today so this is happening...

How exciting! How long does she have to wait for a decision (from the colleges)?

Exciting times in your house! Looking forward to healing all the updates on Marina's forthcoming adventures.

>165 charl08: Thanks, Charlotte! It could be awhile, as she hasn't yet applied to all of them. She will start to hear back from a few - I anticipate she'll hear back from Colorado State University in the next couple of weeks, but others will take longer, and her regular decision schools she won't hear back until March. It's a bit of a nerve-wracking time!

>166 MickyFine: Thanks, Micky, so are we!

Good luck on the college admissions, Anne. Does she have a favorite? And good luck with the audition. What are they putting on?

70. The Queen of the Tambourine by Jane Gardam

I love Jane Gardam, so when I saw this book at the library sale I snatched it up. It is unlike any other Jane Gardam I've read (and Jane Gardam herself is unlike anyone else I've read). This is a one-way epistolary novel that chronicles Eliza Peabody's descent into unreality and mental breakdown. She writes to her former neighbor Joan, who has left her family and is traveling in south Asia. You don't get the sense that Eliza knows Joan very well - she asks questions and reports on her husband and children, before chronicling her daily life, neighborly encounters, and unsettling hallucinations. The descent into madness is the heart of the book, and as such it was hard in the early going to follow. I am a reader that likes to keep track of things and have things make sense, and it can be hard to just let go and take the ride. The ride is worth it, though - I couldn't put the book down once I reached the mid-way point, and when Ms. Gardam brings Eliza back to herself you both ache and cheer for her.

>168 BLBera: Thanks, Beth! She does have a favorite: her dream school is Bryn Mawr College, and we're actually there right now on a "senior stay." We managed to get out of Denver in the snow, but another storm is coming tomorrow, so we don't know what to think about our chances of getting back tomorrow night!

The HS musical is Matilda. Auditions are next week!

>170 AMQS: Ooooh, Bryn Mawr is lovely! And such a good school! Fingers crossed that it works out for her and that you enjoy your 'stay'!

I love Gardam, too, Anne, and I haven't read this one. Something to look forward to.

Good luck with your journey home. Safe travels.

Fingers crossed for both college and audition.

>171 scaifea: Thanks, Amber. It has been Marina's first choice since we visited over spring break, and this overnight solidified it. If we could, she would apply early decision, but it is not possible for us to commit to a school without being able to consider the financial package. We also visited Colorado College this weekend (Friday) and interviewed there. Another great school. I just hope she ends up with great choices, and I'm thinking really good thoughts about Bryn Mawr!

>172 BLBera: Thank you, Beth. We made it home late but safe. It has been snowing pretty much since Sunday, and the roads were bad last night. Most Denver metro area school districts made the decision to cancel school for today but my district did not - only a 2-hour delay. I appreciate your crossed fingers! I think Marina is as strong as any candidate, so it will likely come down to her appealing to the right person, and as for the musical, I think any outcome is a good one. She has a role in mind, but would be just as happy in the chorus.

I hope you like The Queen of the Tambourine. From what I've read, it is not to everyone's liking, even among Ms. Gardam's fans, and it was a bit of a slog for me at times, but as I said, once I was hooked I was hooked.

71. The Bells by Richard Harvell

This historical novel set in mid 1700s Switzerland and then Vienna is overflowing with music, romance, melodrama, intrigue, evil, and derring-do. Young Moses is the son of a deaf bell-ringer in an Alpine village. The bells are so loud they damage the hearing of anyone too close, but in Moses they cultivate an uncanny sense of hearing. Moses is snatched from his mother and tossed into a river, where he is rescued by two traveling monks who bring him with them as they return to their monastery. The abbot forbids him to stay there, until it becomes clear that Moses possesses an angelic, glorious voice that can help attract the attention and funds needed to build the Cathedral of St. Gall, (now a real-life UNESCO World Heritage Site). His voice is so perfect, however, there are those who would do whatever necessary to preserve it forever. What follows: more intrigue, forbidden romance, pursuit through Europe, and subterfuge to rival the plot of any opera. As a novel, elements of the story bothered me, until I told myself to read it as if it were the libretto of an opera, which is definitely its style.

72. Operatic by Kyo Maclear and Byron Eggenschwiler

I guess I must be in an opera kind of mood. This is a gorgeously illustrated graphic novel that chronicles the middle school experience through (mostly) 20th century music history, exploring friendships, LGBTQ themes, response to trauma, and identity. Charlie is in love with Emile, and is missing another classmate whose empty desk she sees every day. She is struggling to find her one song that represents her until she discovers the compelling story and amazing voice of Maria Callas. I bought this for my library but I am glad I read it before it circulated because I don't feel it belongs in elementary school, and will send it on to a middle school colleague.

You ARE in an opera mood, Anne. I think I'll pass on those for now. Scout and I have been reading She Made a Monster. I was really surprised that she loves it!

>176 BLBera: Hi Beth! Yes, OK t pass on those, though for the right person they are good reads. She Made a Monster looks like a good read - glad Scout is enjoying it!

73. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner, audiobook narrated by Steve West

I have Amber to thank for this one - I spotted it on her FB page as one of 7 favorite books JUST as I was finishing an audiobook and looking for a new one. An enjoyable read and a promising start to a series, though I have a few quibbles, namely dialog comprising mostly grouchy bickering is not really my favorite. The book draws heavily on Greek myth and is woven throughout with legends and stories. At its heart is a dangerous quest. An unlikely group of companions (a recently imprisoned thief, a king's magus, the magus's two apprentices, and a soldier) travel far with the objective of finding and stealing a mythical stone. The thief, Gen, is an unwilling and untrusted member of the group... or is he? Lots of twists and turns and a wholly unexpected ending made it a good read. Amber, do you recommend the other books in the series?

>178 AMQS: I feel confident in answering for Amber on this one: YES. The series just gets better and better. Gen is a major crush of mine (and Amber's). I've been reading this series aloud to my housemate, and we're both loving it (it's a reread for me, but a first read for him). ETA: The first three books stick pretty close to Gen (though the first is the only one written in his first-person perspective), but then the narrative shifts to other characters. And the final book in the series comes out in August; we are all anxiously anticipating it. (The good news, though, is that Turner doesn't do cliffhangers -- each book stands alone well. I read an interview where she said she does this intentionally, because she knows that she writes slowly.)

>178 AMQS: >179 foggidawn: YES!!!! foggi is absolutely correct: the series gets even better as it goes along. And Gen is, in fact, (one of) my (literary) boyfriend(s). So definitely keep going!

>179 foggidawn:, >180 scaifea: Thank you!! Glad to hear the series just gets better, and I am always down for a book crush!

>178 AMQS: I'm going to read that one soon, Anne.

hope all is well. xx

>178 AMQS: Paul, I hope you enjoy! I will look for the next at some point. Thank you for visiting. I am a bad LT friend.

74. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, audiobook narrated by Rosalyn Landor

*Happy sigh* I've looked at the data - it seems that I need a Jane Austen reread about twice a year. Like a tonic.

>184 AMQS: Sounds like an excellent prescription.

>185 MickyFine: It was good medicine, Micky! I think we'll try to do a P&P BBC marathon over Thanksgiving break - the girls are home and we have a massive snowstorm coming in, so conditions will be perfect!

75. The Light Between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth, audiobook narrated by Fiona Hardingham and Moira Quirk

This one was recommended by foggi (thank you) for anyone who still believes in Narnia. But while the book does have another world where characters are called, the book focuses on what happens after: what happens to children who have grown up strong in the other world are returned as children again to the bomb shelter they were cowering in in WWII London when they were summoned away; what happens when choices made in one world have lasting consequences in the other; what happens when shifting between worlds tears siblings apart. The book is pervasively sad. The youngest child, Evelyn, is the only one of the three to be completely at home in the Woodland. When, after living there several years and defending it from a terrible threat, the siblings return to London where Evelyn never assimilates, and slowly loses the will to live. Her older sister Philippa devotes her life to protecting Evelyn, but ultimately no one can be responsible for the happiness of another. Philippa leaves to study in America, and Evelyn disappears, leaving Philippa looking for ways to pick up the pieces. While a complex and haunting portrait of depression, self-harm, belonging, and helplessness, there are a few places the book truly bogs down into maudlin melodrama. The narration was very well done, but I would recommend this book in print rather than audio. So much repetition of despairing sighs becomes tedious when listening to them performed.

76. Elephant Company: The Inspiring Story of an Unlikely Hero and the Animals Who Helped Him Save Lives in World War II by Vicki Constantine Croke

I don't remember who recommended this book but I suspect it was Beth or Joanne or both (thank you!). This is a fascinating portrait of James "Billy" Williams, a Cornish man who served in WWI, then left for Burma to work for a British teak company in a supremely dangerous, difficult, and lonely job. The company required a year of service to determine fitness for the job, but Williams wanted more. A lifelong lover of animals, he wanted to work closely with the company's elephants, and together with a Burmese handler names Po Toke, they revolutionized the care, training, raising, rehabilitation, and even acquisition of the magnificent creatures, whose personalities, intelligence, and abilities also charm and amaze the reader. In WWII, the Japanese invaded Burma and the British and allies suffered devastating losses. Williams had the idea that his elephants could use their intelligence and engineering abilities to help with the war effort, leading to the establishment of the famed "Elephant Company" that made a huge difference in the war effort. While not always easy to read, this is a fascinating book. I think I would have liked to meet Williams and his wife Susan.

>187 AMQS: Congratulations on reaching 75, Anne!

Congrats!

Felicitations on reaching the magic number, Anne! :)

More congratulations from me.

An Austen marathon for the holidays sounds like a lovely idea.

Congrats on reaching and passing 75, Anne.

>189 FAMeulstee: Anita, >190 drneutron: Jim, >191 MickyFine: Micky, >192 charl08: Charlotte, >193 BLBera: Beth Thank you! I am pleased to have reached 75, particularly since I fell short last year. I think audiobooks have pushed me over the finish line - I have been doing physical therapy and listening to audiobooks makes it not so tedious and adds more listening time. Also, it's confirmed that I am the worst 75er friend ever. I am so embarrassed and frustrated that I have not been able to make the rounds and return all of your visits :( . Thank you for sticking with me.

77. Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

There has been something of a proliferation in recent years of middle grade novels in verse, and also of refugee/immigrant stories. This book is both, and is absolutely lovely. Jude lives with her family in Syria - a town by the sea where the locals make vacationing possible for tourists without being able to participate themselves. Jude's brother Issa is increasingly restless, participating in demonstrations against President Assad and pushing for reforms. For now the troubles are far enough away, but as they come nearer the the family decides to send Jude and her mother to the safety of relatives living in America. Once in Cincinnati, Jude struggles to belong and be true to herself while still loving her country and culture, and worrying desperately about family and friends in Syria. Absolutely wonderful and highly recommended.

Congratulations on passing 75, Anne.

You are most certainly not a bad LT friend.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend.
I am thankful of you presence here.

Congrats on reading 75 books!

>195 AMQS: This goes on the Scout list, Anne. It sounds wonderful.

You are not a bad LT friend. You are a busy person.

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving.

Whoa, belated congrats on blowing past the 75 book mark, Anne! Hope you had a relaxing Thanksgiving with family. Were both daughters home?

Dropping by to wish you a lovely weekend, Anne.

Anne, I have to thank you for yet another Scout book. She was over today, and we started to read The Perilous Princess Plot. I thought it might be a little old for her, but she kept asking to keep reading. She was laughing in the right places. I think we made it through half the book! I sent the book home with her, so she could finish it with her mom.

>196 PaulCranswick:, >200 PaulCranswick: Thank you, Paul, and thank you for your encouraging words.
>197 figsfromthistle: Thank you, Anita!
>198 BLBera:, >201 BLBera: Thank you, Beth, and thanks for the encouragement! I was thinking I would be able to catch up on LT over the winter break, but I'm not so sure. My brother, sister in law, and their baby (the one we went to visit in the summer) are coming for Christmas with my sister in-law's parents - so excited! My baby nephew will be 7 months old when they get here. Then I just found out this weekend that my brother in law (Stelios's brother) will come between Christmas and New Years with his two kids, so we will have a very full house and schedule. I start school January 2, so catching up on LT will have to wait :( I have to make a change - I miss it too much!

I am so thrilled Scout was enjoying The Perilous Princess Plot! I read that book when Callia was in high school and we didn't have the time to read aloud any more. I pressed it on her, and she proceeded to read most of it aloud to me! The second book The Gigantic Goof-Up is just as good.

>199 ronincats: Thank you, Roni! Yes, both daughters were home, and our Thanksgiving was very relaxing. We had a monster snowstorm on Tuesday of Thanksgiving and got about 2 feet of snow, so it forced us to stay home which suited us just fine! Hope your Thanksgiving was a good one. I'm betting with the crazy weather that you did not travel to KS?

78. The Bookish Life of Nina Hill by Abby Waxman, audiobook narrated by Emily Rankin

Thank you to Beth for the recommendation! This was a light and fun read that I enjoyed, despite a few quibbles. Nina Hill is an introverted woman who works in a bookstore and suffers from anxiety. Over-scheduling is a way for her to cope - everything from Trivia Night to reading time is duly recorded in her planner, along with what she will eat for the day and her shopping list. Her carefully planned system goes awry with two events: she becomes interested in a member of a rival trivia team (Nina thinks this seems like a bad idea), and she hears from family she never knew she had. Nina was raised by a nanny as her single mom traveled the world as a prize-winning photographer. She never knew anything about her father until she meets a lawyer who informs her he has died and has left her a bequest... and a large and complicated family. Suddenly Nina's life goes all ka-wocky, as my Chorale boss would say.

The book is very funny, and while I enjoyed the humor, that is one of my quibbles. It reads a bit like a sit-com with zingy dialog and snappy comebacks and not much heartfelt conversation. The book also has two plot/story elements that I really dislike in either books or movies (I consider them to be storytelling sins), and I had just finished telling my girls about one when the other happened! First, I dislike the public declaration - you know, when a character declares something (usually a declaration of love) by shouting over a crowded courtroom, airport, train station, wedding, etc. And I really dislike when something big is about to be revealed and the person it is being revealed to keeps interrupting the revealer to make a wild guess (or two or three) about what they are trying to tell you. This is only acceptable when the murderer is about to finish off the main character and they stall for time guessing about the why in order to work their restraints loose or wait for their friend to come and save the day. All that aside, if you don't take the book too seriously it is a very funny and enjoyable read about a young woman whose protective shell is loosening - in a good way.

Thanks, Beth!

79. The Long Flight Home by Alan Hlad, audiobook narrated by Simon Vance

I feel like I have read a lot of WWII books this year. I enjoyed this one - also with a few little quibbles - and by the time I was at the half-way point I was obsessed and listened whenever I could. I also thought about it all night to the point where it interrupted my sleep. I guess that's a sign that you have been captivated by a book!

Ollie is a young man living on his parents' potato farm in Maine. He flies a small plane for crop dusting and, frustrated by American neutrality in the war, dreams of becoming a "real" pilot for the RAF. After a tragedy, he takes his chance and makes his way to England. Meanwhile, Susan Shepherd was studying zoology until the war interrupted her studies and she returns home to her grandfather's pigeon farm. As the nightly bombings of London intensify, the pigeons of the National Pigeon Service are requisitioned and are to be dropped into occupied France with instructions about how locals there can return the pigeons with intelligence about German military installations and movement.

Susan and Ollie meet and are on their way to falling in love when Ollie is in a plane that goes down in occupied France with Susan's personal pet pigeon Duchess and a Flight Lieutenant who also has designs on Susan and a deep dislike of Ollie. Despite dire circumstances, Duchess is able to be a link between Susan and Ollie for a time. While at times in melodrama territory, (many times, actually), The Long Flight Home is a captivating story about love, heroism, and service during the war. I haven't stopped thinking about it.

>202 AMQS: Wow, Anne, it sounds like you will have a busy holiday break! Enjoy!

>203 AMQS: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I thought it was fun although there were some storylines that could have been explored to make it more thoughtful. I loved your comments.

>204 AMQS: This sounds great.

Realizing you may not have time to drop by my thread, I found this fantastic list of primarily picture books (but also chapter books and middle readers and YA) online today that I think would be of use to any school librarian! Merry Christmas, Anne!

https://pernillesripp.com/2019/12/08/best-books-of-2019/?fbclid=IwAR1ox-caLEz6hY...

>205 BLBera: Hi Beth! Yes, thank you for recommending The Bookish Life - it was a fun read, and I still think about The Long Flight Home. Our frantic holiday stuff came to a screeching halt as both girls got sick (poor Marina has been sick for some time and just suddenly got worse) and I developed muscle spasms in my back that have been debilitating. Fortunately, Marina had no finals yesterday and could stay home and sleep. She has two more days of finals (including on her 18th birthday, poor kid) and then she's done, and Callia can just relax. I still have more school - I'm the one lurching through the school like Frankenstein's monster :(

>206 ronincats: Roni, that is an awesome list! I have several of the titles mentioned, and several more on my ordering list for January. Thank you for sharing it with me! Merry Christmas.

I love your Instagram account and seeing all the fun things you do with books and technology! Thanks for showing how the two are NOT mutually exclusive for kids. I really want to put you in touch with our state VAASL group. You would be a great speaker. Do you do that kind of thing?

Hope all is well and your break is in sight.

Oh, Anne! I hope your back feels better soon. How long a break do you have? I still have one class's essays to grade, and then I have a week off before I have to start prepping for spring.

Merry Christmas! I hope all recover and you have a healthy, happy holiday.

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

I am very late on commenting about this but YAY to enjoying The Thief and can't wait to see what you think of the rest of the series! I'm in the process of rereading them slowly in anticipating of the final book which I've already pre-ordered.

Or in other words, Happy Christmas! And have a great New Year as well.

Hi, Anne - Just stopped by after a long hiatus to wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and see your season's not been so jolly so far. Here's hoping you and the girls recover from your various ills so you can enjoy the holidays to their fullest!

So sorry about your back problems, Anne. I used to suffer from frequent bouts of back spasms and know how difficult it is to get around. Wishing you well, my friend. It sounds like you will have a full house for the holidays. Maybe a back brace and some good drugs can work their magic.

Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Solstice, some other tradition or none at all, this is what I wish for you!

Thank you for keeping me company in 2019.......onward to 2020.

>208 witchyrichy:, >215 witchyrichy: Karen, thank you. I am not really a "get up in front of adults" kind of person - we have so many amazing Ed Tech specialists in my district that I've never needed to fill that role, except for my own staff. But if you think there would be a need I would be interested in making contact with your VAASL group. Thank you for thinking of me, and for supporting my library and programming on Instagram! Merry Christmas to you and your family. I have a beautiful picture in my mind of Christmas in the farm. I hope there's not so much work that you can't enjoy it.

>209 BLBera: Hi Beth! I am pretty much back to normal now - I got progressively better over the course of last week after a very rough few days. I told Stelios I had this irrational fear that I would wake up and not be able to walk. Our break feels very short. We are supposed to be back in school January 2, but our school voted to swap January 2 for an extra day back in August, so teachers are back the 3rd. I had something of an epiphany when I was hurt. I always have about 1000 things to do and I guess I tend to work on a little of everything at once. When I was hurt I pretty much stayed in my chair, the kids were coding, and I got completely caught up with grading and planned all of my classes through January. So though my break is short, I won't be doing any school work except a large book order. I hope you are able to have a break - it seems like you will be working on grading your last term and planning for your new one. Will you see a lot of Scout this break?

>210 ChelleBearss: Merry Christmas, Chelle! Enjoy the holiday with your beautiful girls - they're the perfect age for Christmas magic!

>211 bell7: Hi Mary! Ooh, I am so excited that the series has so many fans here! I listened to the first book - when I am back in school in January I will look for the second. Do you think I should switch to print?

>212 SandDune: Thank you, Rhian - I love it! A little obsessed with all things Welsh, as you know:) I always give the girls a calendar for New Year. Marina selected one this year from Wales. It has lovely artwork, and - she's most excited about this - the months and days are in Welsh too. I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas.

>213 Storeetllr: Thank you, Mary, I think we're all on the mend now. Hope your Christmas is very happy!

>214 Donna828: Oh Donna, I am so sorry! I understood in my brain that they were painful, but I actually had no idea! Fortunately I am lucky and have recovered quickly. They put me on steroids to reduce inflammation and muscle relaxants for the pain, though I didn't want to take those while I was teaching. My brother & co are staying with my mom - it was so nice to see them all, and my baby nephew is at that adorably perfect Gerber Baby phase. My brother in law arrives with his family this week and they are staying with us. Should be fun, and full! Merry Christmas to you and your family!

>216 ronincats: I love it, Roni, thank you. I hope your holiday is peaceful and lovely.

>217 PaulCranswick: Oh Paul, I've been terrible company in 2019. One of my 2020 resolutions is to do better! I've missed you and all of my faithful friends here, and I have really missed out on your reading! Merry Christmas to you.

>218 AMQS: Personally I prefer the print versions to the audio I've heard, but it could be my speaker quality isn't great on my Kindle as well. Go with what works for you!

I hope your break is restful and gives you a chance to completely heal, Anne. Hooray for planning ahead. I have about a week free. I finished grading on Sunday, and next week, I'll get back to class prep for January.

>219 bell7: Good to know, Mary. There are definitely books I think would be better in print than on audio.

>220 BLBera: Thank you, Beth! My back is pretty much back to normal but my hip is giving me a lot of pain, which is completely my fault. I was really good about my physical therapy exercises for a time, but when my book fair hit and then December I stopped doing them and now I know what a huge difference they make. I hope you enjoy your free week! Hopefully you can let go of work completely during that time.

****************************************
Happy, happy new year to my LT friends, and thank you for sticking with me when I rarely if ever could return your visits. I considered last year not returning for 2019 but even though my participation was so abysmal this year I think I will be back for 2020. I just enjoy the community so much and I have a goal of greater participation to work for. We had many, many blessings in 2019 - especially my baby nephew Falcon, but in many ways I am glad to be turning the page tomorrow. Just to get the last word in, my oven decided to go out in a literal blaze of glory on New Years Eve as I was preparing to put dinner in for my family and our visiting family. Good thing for good neighbors with free ovens.

80. The Collectors by Jacqueline West, audiobook narrated by Ramon de Ocampo

Thank you to Amber for this recommendation. Van is a small boy who is often overlooked and tends to see and collect things that people also overlook. When he spies a girl stealing a coin from a fountain he is drawn into a shadowy underworld of wish collectors. As he slowly learns more about their purpose he is also recruited by the other side and grapples with the moral ambiguity of neither side being transparently good or bad. I would recommend this book in print rather than on audio.

81. A Child's Christmas in Wales by Dylan Thomas, audiobook narrated by Dylan Thomas

The Christmas classic.

82. Winnie's Great War by Lindsay Mattick

The story of the bear cub named Winnipeg who became the mascot of the Second Canadian Infantry Brigade in WWI, and later the special friend of Christopher Robin Milne. A sweet story, though it may be difficult for tender hearted readers.

83. Words on Fire by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Jennifer A. Nielsen is a master of gripping historical fiction for middle grade readers. This is an important read about brave Lithuanians risking everything to protect their language, literature, thought, and culture during Russian occupation in the late 1800s.

>221 AMQS: Oh wow, Anne! That sounds like some excitement no one needs on their New Year's Eve. Hopefully your new year is off to a much better start.